WWE Raw: Riddle-Woods epitomized in-ring storytelling

The May 24 episode of WWE Raw was what has been a rarity for the better part of a year: a good show. This was mostly due to the heavy emphasis on in-ring wrestling and building/advancing stories through matches.

No match from WWE Raw may have been more evident of this than the Riddle vs. Xavier Woods match to start the third hour.

There was already a well-defined story heading into this match between The New Day and RK-Bro. Riddle, having formed this new team with the ornery Randy Orton, had been trying his best to maintain his friendship with Kofi Kingston & Woods even while they stood in RK-Bro’s way to the Tag Team Championship.

Two weeks ago, the four men won an eight-man tag team match only for Orton to hit an RKO on both members of The New Day. Riddle was shocked.

Last week, Kingston defeated Orton (thanks to a distraction from Woods) in Kingston’s first match of the night. Riddle was upset about Woods’ distraction and after yelling at each other some, he shoved Woods to the mat, which led to last night’s match.

(Side note: credit to WWE for using their video recaps not so much to show what happened a segment ago, but for recapping how most matches came to be and the stories that were built. I think they did have too many, and may be better to switch out one or two for one or two more backstage, Gorilla position, or post-match interviews.)

Well, what a match Riddle and Woods gave us last night!

Now, let’s get to the in-ring storytelling.

Remember, these two are very familiar with each other (in kayfabe) as good friends and sometimes match partners. They know each other’s tendencies and arsenal of moves/strategies/tactics.

If you didn’t know that before the match, the constant counters, reversals, and escapes told that story well.

I liked the spot where Woods knew Riddle was going for his PK-standing moonsault-Broton combo, so he lured him to performing the last part of the combo only for Riddle to land on Woods’ knees.

Even though we know this combo is coming, it usually isn’t countered as much as the Broton devoid of the combo, which is another reason the spot stood out to me.

Woods did have some outstanding spots in the match. To those who were saying things like, “OK, NOW I see you Xavier Woods!” or, “I didn’t know he had this in him!” I say, where you been at?

Even as Consequences Creed in TNA you could see that potential.

Before the commercial break during the match, Woods was able to hit an Attitude Adjustment, I mean F-, I mean Death Valley Driver to Riddle on the apron (these apron spots should stop, but this one didn’t seem to be as bad). It was a fitting image to leave viewers with as the ads started.

The spot that had most of Twitter buzzing, at least, was this masterpiece of a monkey flip into a (slightly) delayed vertical suplex from Woods to Riddle.

(A powerful Woods shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody. Have you seen that man’s physique!?)

Woods had to pull out all the stops to beat Riddle, including things we haven’t really seen him do in WWE. Besides the above, Woods also employed a gator roll and a second rope superplex, both maneuvers he seldom utilizes. He hit his Gutcheck (Gorilla press slam into a gutbuster) for the first time in I don’t know how long, and even turned the Bro Derek into a Tree of Woe.

Unfortunately for Woods, Riddle had the same mindset (and again, this works because of their familiarity with each other).

In the beginning of the match, Riddle seemed more concerted with attaining a quick submission than in any of his recent matches in my opinion He went from armbar attempts to a guillotine attempt to a Bromission attempt.

Maybe he knew his biggest advantage was in submission wrestling, and tried to finish it early before the sweat made it harder to grip and torque, something that seems to always be discussed during every UFC event.

It’s also not as common for Riddle to hit the spider German suplex-like maneuver that he hit toward the end of the match to Woods.

What’s definitely new to Riddle’s move set, and caught Woods completely by surprise (me too), was the finish.

Credit to Riddle: that was about as textbook of an RKO as you’ll see from anyone not named Randy Orton. The hand placement around Woods’ neck with his right arm and clasping it off on the left side of Woods’ head with his left arm was a nice touch to separate his from Orton’s as Orton usually only uses his right arm.

Orton gets more air too, but a great first Ace/Diamond Cutter from Riddle.

I LOVED this ending (aside from Woods losing even though it wouldn’t fit the story). First, last night Woods (and Kingston) were serious faces instead of comical ones. That subtle change worked wonders for both, and translated better in the ring than the goofy characters.

Second, Riddle  hit everything but the his three finishers (Bromission, Floating Bro, Bro Derek), and although he hit the Final Flash, Woods had an answer for the three finishers, which meant Riddle needed to find another way to win the match.

Third, it works so well because sure, Woods & Kingston are very, very familiar with the RKO, but who would expect Riddle to bust one out? That’s exactly why it worked. It makes sense for Riddle to try it as he is connected to Orton as a team. It was also the one move he hadn’t tried, but knew first-hand how devastating the move could be to Woods when Orton hit it a few weeks ago.

Fourth, this leaves me rather intrigued for next week because I want to see Orton’s reaction to Riddle essentially stealing not just a finisher, but arguably the most popular finisher of the last 15 years in the RKO (out of nowhere!).

If the past few weeks are any indication, Orton will be irked (especially if it’s that Riddle didn’t ask permission in kayfabe), but also both respect Riddle for having the gumption to do that and find some positive, like saying it shows that Riddle is learning from the 14-time World Champion.

Then again, this could be the reason why Orton may eventually turn on Riddle.

It will also be interesting to see how Woods (and to a lesser extent, Kingston) respond. Maybe Woods faces Orton and drops him with a Trouble in Paradise or a Big Ending. Maybe Orton hits Woods with a Bro Derek or Floating Br- naw, that’s just too far.

It would be entertaining to see Orton try, though!

Give me more WWE Raw episodes where the focus is on in-ring wrestling and storytelling in matches. I really like the flow of last night’s show, buoyed by matches like Kingston vs. Drew McIntyre, Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair, and RIddle vs. Woods.

That doesn’t mean it was a perfect show, far from it, but the overall structure and pace of the show were net positives.

Seriously, I would suggest rewatching the Riddle-Woods match on the old peacock when you have time to really look for those subtle storytelling details. Maybe just rewatch most of the matches from last night, really.

What are your thoughts?